March is traditionally known by college students as a month of midterms, basketball, and, ultimately, respite. Yet this March presents another opportunity for college students–an occasion to write about modern love.

The New York Times is holding a college essay contest about “contemporary relationships, marriage, dating, parenthood–any subject that might reasonably fit under the heading ‘Modern Love.’” The objective of the contest is to illustrate the current state of love and relationships. The editors describe give a bit of background on their Modern Love website:

Three years ago we invited college students to tell us the truth about what love was like for them in this age of 24/7 communication, blurred gender roles and new attitudes about sex and dating. The response, from students at more than 365 colleges and universities nationwide, was overwhelming and eye opening.

So we’re asking again. If you have a personal story that illustrates the current state of love and relationships, e-mail it to us at essaycontest@nytimes.com. The winning author will receive $1,000 and his or her essay will be published in a special “Modern Love” column on May 1, 2011, and on nytimes.com.

HOW TO ENTER
E-mail your essay (1500-1700 words, attached as a Word document AND pasted into the body of the e-mail), along with your name, e-mail address, phone number, college and year of graduation to: essaycontest@nytimes.com.

DEADLINE: March 31, 2011

We at the Love and Fidelity Network feel this a great opportunity for you, the college students in our Network, to not only flood the New York Times editors with a collective group of essays on finding authentic love in modern times, but also to demonstrate your unique journey in a society whose definitions of love are ever-changing. The editors of Modern Love have said that the essays should be deeply personal in tone. (For examples of deeply personal tone, see the finalists’ essays from the Times’ last college contest on the Modern Love site).

We encourage you to contribute and share the idea with your friends! We have confidence in your articulate nature and the depth of your convictions.

If you are interested in talking to us about your original concept, feel free to contact us.

Please let us know if you will be submitting an essay to Modern Love!

Filed under: College, Events and Impact